Window opening protective grill

ABSTRACT

Window opening protective grillwork comprising a peripherally supported vertically and horizontally extended succession of frame modules and frame link modules having self locking means alined and in interengagement against relative modular movement and in a predetermined grillwork pattern dimensioned to overlie the window opening.

United States Patent 1 Der Estephanian 51 Mar. 18, 1975 WINDOW OPENINGPROTECTIVE GRILL [76] Inventor: Estephan Der Estephanian, 2452 BoulderRd, Altadena, Calif. 91001 [22] Filed: Sept. 13, 1973 [21] Appl. No.:396,900

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 181,843,Sept. 20, 1971,

abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl 52/507, 52/509, 52/663 [51] Int. Cl. E04c 2/40 [58] Fieldof Search 52/660, 663, 509, 507, 52/659; 160/104; 49/5056 [56]References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Korger 287/54 C X 2/1965 Araas52/663 X 10/1970 James 52/581 Primary ExaminerFrank L. Abbott AssistantExaminer-Carl D. Friedman Attorney, Agent, or FirmLouis J. Bachand [57]ABSTRACT Window opening protective grillwork comprising a peripherallysupported vertically and horizontally extended succession of framemodules and frame link modules having self locking means alined and ininterengagement against relative modular movement and in a predeterminedgrillwork pattern dimensioned to overlie the window opening.

7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures WINDOW OPENING PROTECTIVE GRILL This is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 181,843, filed Sept. 20, 1971, nowabandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention has to do with protection ofwindow openings and the like against unauthorized entry. Moreparticularly, the invention is concerned with a modular type ofgrillwork for window openings which is readily assembled in any desiredlength and width, on the job site and from components having standarizedsize and fittings for ease of installation.

Crimes against property, especially breaking and entering for purposesof burglarizing commercial and residential buildings have increasedgreatly in number in the last few years, particularly in urban areas,but no area, however remote, is completely safe from feloniousintrusion. This trend has renewed interest in grilllike expedients forblocking entry of persons through window openings without shutting outlight and air.

PRIOR ART Foremost among the expedients have been elaborate New Orleansiron work and Mediterranean style pikes arranged over the window openingwith patterns to compliment the exterior of the building. Thesegrillworks have usually been constructed in an ironworking shop to fitspecific openings and on a custom and therefore, highly expensive basis.

The need today is not so much the decoration of houses for thewell-to-do as the protection of warehouse and factory buildings whichare being regularly plundered for their equipment, inventory andsupplies. In such buildings, window openings vary greatly in width andheight and may be of considerable size overall. Individually wroughtgrills are not economically feasible and their commonly employeddecorative embellishments unnecessary to the purpose at hand.

I have considered the available expedients for protecting windowopenings with grillwork and concluded that what is presently availableis too costly to make, insufficiently flexible in dimensioning andneedlessly laborious to install.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, I have developed a modular form ofgrillwork which can be made up of very few, standard pieces, in volumeand at low cost, assembled on-site without tools and installed simplyusing only common wall fastening techniques. Moreover, the basic modularmembers can be combined into wide and short, tall and narrow or bothwide and tall arrangements for any given window protection problem, thusobviating the excessive material cost, undue labor cost and inflexibledimensioning problems heretofore existing in this art.

These objectives of the invention and others to be come apparenthereinafter are realized according to the invention in a windowprotective grillwork comprising a peripherally supported vertically andhorizontally extended succession of frame modules and frame linkmodules, self-locking means on the modules alined and in interengagementagainst relative modular movement and in a predetermined grillworkpattern dimensioned to overlie the window opening.

It is a particular feature, that the frame and frame link modules areconnectible into a window covering array by simple, self-lockinginterengagement which simplifies assembly and defies disassembly by awouldbe intruder.

The grillwork may further include wall connection means such as anelongated, rigid wall connection member fastened at one end to the wallbeyond the window opening perimeter and at its opposite end retainedwithin a frame module to support the grillwork in position. The framemodules and frame link modules will typically lie in a common planeparallel to the plane of the window opening, and carry interfittingshoulders defining the mentioned locking means and engageable uponrelative movement when interfitted to selectively self-lock the modulestogether. Each frame module may comprise a rigid member describing agenerally' closed figure such as a generally rectangular metal member,having opposed sets of frame link interfitting means spaced along itsperimeter, such as opposed apertures in opposite side walls defining theframe link module interfitting means. Each frame link may comprise anelongated, generally straight rigid element having terminal portionseach defining frame module interfitting means, e.g. opposite terminalportions each receivable within a frame side wall aperture in a firstmodal relation and retainable within said aperture in a second modalrelation thereto, with the second modal relation corresponding to thementioned predetermined grillwork pattern.

In particular embodiments, each frame link module terminal portionterminates in a laterally projecting shoulder selectively receivable andengageable in a frame module aperture, and carries stop means inwardlyof this shoulder to limit entry of the terminal portion into theaperture, the shoulder and stop means being opposed and spacedrelatively to jointly engage the frame side wall on opposite sidesthereof when the frame module and frame link module are in the secondmodal relation. The frame module apertures and frame link shoulders maybe rectangular in transverse section and congruent for free relativeinterfitting movement when their respective modules are in angularlydisposed planes and self-locking engagement when their respectivemodules are in parallel planes. Typically, the frame modules are sizedto have at least three thereof in line at least horizontally andpreferably both vertically and horizontally within the window openingperimeter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be furtherdescribed as to an illustrative embodiment thereof in conjunction withthe attached drawings in which: v

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of a grillwork according to theinvention installed over a window open- FIG. 2 is a view of a singleframe with associated frame links and illustrating the grillworkmounting, the view being taken on line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a frontal view of the frame module, taken on line 3-3 in FIG.2; and

FIG. 4 is a detail view of an alternate mounting arrangement for thegrillwork.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawingsin detail, and particularly FIG. 1, the grillwork 1 comprises asuccession of frame modules 2 and frame link modules 3 which isvertically and horizontally extended to overlie window openings 4 formedin wall 5 and window 6 therein supported by frame 7 secured to wall 5 bymeans not shown.

It will be observed in FIGS. l-3 that each frame module 2 comprises agenerally rectangular closed figure, or square 8 formed of bar stock,such as steel, of a type and thickness to preclude distortion byapplication of an ordinary amount of force. The frame module 2 may beformed by bending a steel bar into a square 8 as shown, or into anothersuitable shape such as a triangle, circle, crescent, parallelogram orlike figure. As will be evident the figure 8 need not be fully closed,provided the assembly of figures effectively blocks ingress through thegrillwork and has sufficient strength in the assembled condition.

Each frame link module 3 comprises a generally straight, elongated,rigid member 9 adapted to space and interfit adjacent frame modules 2.As best shown in FIG. 2 (top) the frame link module member 9 has aterminal portion 10 and comprising a laterally projecting shoulder 11 inthis case formed by bending the member terminus to 'a right anglerelation with the member 9. Accordingly, the shoulder 11 projectstransversely of the longitudinal axis of the member 9 and is of likerectangular transverse-section.

The frame modules 2 are each provided with apertures 12 at 12, 3, 6 and9 oclock, rectangular in shape and congruent with the transverse-sectionof shoulder 11 of the frame link module member 9 to receive the linkshoulder 11 in interfitting relation.

In FIGS. 1-3, the frame module 2 and frame link module 3 are shownassembled, the terminal shoulders 11 of link members 9 being insertedinto frame module apertures 12 and the frame link modules and framemodules being in a common plane (parallel to the window opening plane)the link member shoulders 11 engaging the shoulders 13 surroundingapertures 12 to prevent withdrawal of the link members from the framefigures 8 so long as the direction of link withdrawal is in a planeparallel to or common with the plane of the frame module 2. On the otherhand, assembly is readily effected by presenting the link module at anangle to the frame module whereby link member shoulder 11 is insertableinto the frame aperture 12, see the phantom lines in FIG. 2, andfollowing an initial insertion distance, straightening the link modulemember 9 up to be in a parallel or common plane with the frame module 2,the link shoulder then engaging the shoulder like periphery 13 of theaperture 12. It will be noted that when a series of frame modules 2 andframe link modules 3 are thus assembled, their disassembly is notpossible without altering their coplanar relation, which alteration isnot feasible while the grillwork is peripherally supported, as explainedbelow.

To limit the extent of member 9 insertion into frame module aperture 12,a stop in the form of upsets, deflections or bosses 14, on either orboth sides of the member 9 inwardly of terminating shoulder 11 areprovided. Typically, and as shown the bosses 14 are spaced from theshoulder 11 a distance approximating the thickness of the frame modulemember 8 side wall 15 in which the receiving aperture 12 is formed. SeeFIGS. 2 and 3. In this manner, the coplanar alinement of frame linkmodule member 9 and frame module 2 pinches the side wall 15 at apertureperiphery 13, between member shoulder ll and boss 14 to provide a rigidinterengagement with respect to axial movement of the link member 9 andadditionally enables quick assembly in proper alinement.

The grillwork 1 is peripherally supported at 18 as best shown in FIGS. 1and 2 by wall connection members l9 fastened at their outer end 20 towall 5 by a suitable fastener such as flat head bolt 21 screwed into thewall through an opening 22 in the outer end of the member. The inner endof wall connection members 19 is retained in aperture 12 in frame module2. For this purpose, wall connection members 19 are provided with alaterally projecting shoulder 23 at an innermost extent configured toenter into the opposing frame aperture 12. It will be noted that theframe engaging terminal portion 24 of the wall connection members 19 areconfigured like the frame engaging terminal portions 10 oflink members 9for ready insertion, and easy movement into a self-locking mode with theaperture periphery 13 of frame side wall 15 pinched between wallconnection member shoulder 23 and bosses 25.

The outer end of wall connection member 19, see FIG. 2, is provided withplural spaced openings 22 for fastener insertion. In this manner thefastener 21 may be located advantageously on the wall 5 and theconnection member length varied to suit optimum location of thefastener, to contribute further to the universality of the modulargrillwork of the invention.

In FIG. 4 a variation in the manner of wall connection is shown. Wallconnection member 19 is reversed from the FIGS. l3 position, i.e. themember projects inwardly from the frame module 2 to the wall 5 withshoulder 23 and boss 25 engaged in reverse to the manner describedabove. In this embodiment the grillwork 1 extends outwardly of thewindow perimeter a slight distance, where this is desirable from a sizeconsideration.

In assembling the grillwork, certain wall connection members 19 aresecured to the wall beyond of the window opening 4 perimeter. Thesemembers are connected to frame modules 2 as explained and additionalframes and frame links 3 are assembled, vertically and horizontally withperimeter frames being secured to appropriately placed wall connectionmembers 19. In each case, the frames and frame links are interfitted ata first modal (angular) relation and fastened together at a second modal(parallel) relation into a rigid structure as described.

I claim:

1. In combination:

A building wall having a window opening; and protective grillworkstructure comprising a vertically and horizontally extended alternatingsuccession of generally rectangular open frame modules having opposedrelatively small apertures in opposite side walls and generally straightelongated, rigid frame link modules interconnected therewith, said framelink modules having opposed terminal portions each comprising alaterally projecting shoulder inserted endwise into said frame apertureswhen said modules are in a relatively angularly disposed planes andengaged therewith, and stop means inwardly of said shoulder limitingshoulder insertion into said apertures, said shoulder and stop meansbeing arranged relatively engaged with the frame side'wall on oppositesides thereof in self-locking interengagement against movement in anydirection when said frame modules and frame link module are in a commonplane, said grillwork structure being dimensioned to overlie the windowopening, and wall connection means securing the grillwork structure atsaid frame module aperture to the building wall at the window openingperimeter.

2. Combination according to claim 1 in which said wall connection meansextends beyond the window opening perimeter.

3. Combination according to claim 1 in which each frame module comprisesa square member.

4. Combination according to claim 1 in which said wall connection meanscomprises an elongated, rigid member fastened at one end of the buildingwall beyond the window opening perimeter and at its opposite endretained within a frame module aperture.

* =I l= l

1. In combination: A building wall having a window opening; andprotective grillwork structure comprising a vertically and horizontallyextended alternating succession of generally rectangular open framemodules having opposed relatively small apertures in opposite side wallsand generally straight elongated, rigid frame link modulesinterconnected therewith, said frame link modules having opposedterminal portions each comprising a laterally projecting shoulderinserted endwise into said frame apertures when said modules are in arelatively angularly disposed planes and engaged therewith, and stopmeans inwardly of said shoulder limiting shoulder insertion into saidapertures, said shoulder and stop means being arranged relativelyengaged with the frame side wall on opposite sides thereof inself-locking interengagement against movement in any direction when saidframe modules and frame link module are in a common plane, saidgrillwork structure being dimensioned to overlie the window opening, andwall connection means securing the grillwork structure at said framemodule aperture to the building wall at the window opening perimeter. 2.Combination according to claim 1 in which said wall connection meansextends beyond the window opening perimeter.
 3. Combination according toclaim 1 in which each frame module comprises a square member. 4.Combination according to claim 1 in which said wall connection meanscomprises an elongated, rigid member fastened at one end of the buildingwall beyond the window opening perimeter and at its opposite endretained within a frame module aperture.
 5. Combination according toclaim 1 in which said frame modules are sized to have at least threethereof in line within the window opening perimeter.
 6. Combinationaccording to claim 1 in which said frame modules and frame link modulesare metal and said frame modules are square.
 7. Combination according toclaim 6 in which said wall connection means comprises an elongated rigidmember fastened at one end to the building wall beyond the windowopening perimeter and at its opposite end retained within a frame moduleaperture.